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Rear Hub Problems

disgruntledgoatdisgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
edited October 2009 in Workshop
Got some brand new Pro-Lite Comos last week for winter wheels and finally got out on them today. i made it to the end of the road.

The problem is that whenever the rear wheel is freewheeling at over about 25kph the freewheel fails, makes a horrible noise, the chain drops/ pedals spin round as if on a fixie. Have I bought knackered wheels or is there a blindingly obvious fix i'm missing?
"In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

@gietvangent

Posts

  • disgruntledgoatdisgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    Getting desperate this folks, I have dissembled the wheel (never used one with loose bearing before!) and still can't see any way to remove the freehub body!

    Plus, I'm not so confident I can put it back together in a manner where it will still spin safely!
    "In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

    @gietvangent
  • volvicsparvolvicspar Posts: 208
    AI don't have any experience with those wheels but the free hub is often screwed via a 10mm hex bolt. You have to remove the axle and you can only undo this hex bolt from the non drive side. It's on the inside inside of the hub shell. They are usually very tight and difficult to remove though.

    Park has some info on removing the free hub.
  • volvicsparvolvicspar Posts: 208
    But your best bet is to return them to wherever you bought them they should just work if new.
  • disgruntledgoatdisgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    My attempts at fixing have led to me having a fixed wheel on a campag 10sp freehub... BUM. And there was a woodlouse in the middle of the hubbody.

    No hex bolt on the inside either... My 10mm allen key went straight through! Thoughts? I may ring the distributor and see what they say.
    "In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

    @gietvangent
  • deswellerdesweller Posts: 5,175
    If they are brand new wheels I'd recommend against attempting to fix them yourself unless they've been supplied with specific instructions detailing how to do it. The supplier would be able to claim that you'd invalidated the warranty by mucking about with them.

    Who did you buy them from, out of interest?
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    On Strava.{/url}
  • disgruntledgoatdisgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    DesWeller wrote:
    If they are brand new wheels I'd recommend against attempting to fix them yourself unless they've been supplied with specific instructions detailing how to do it. The supplier would be able to claim that you'd invalidated the warranty by mucking about with them.

    Who did you buy them from, out of interest?

    Polaris via E-Bay.

    I was tempted to run it on the turbo for the week and see if it sorted itself out. My problem is that I always want something sorted NOW! LBS for me in the morning!
    "In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

    @gietvangent
  • disgruntledgoatdisgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    Another quick question... HOw many bearings should be in each end of the hub? I'm not sure if some fell through but there seemed to be loads in the non-drive side and only about 7 in the drive side, is this correct?
    "In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

    @gietvangent
  • DiogenesDiogenes Posts: 1,628
    I had the same problem on a new set of Gipiemme wheels with a campag hub,the LBS reported that a pawl was sticking, just needed a drop of grease. However for months afterward I had recurring niggles until the hub packed up altogether. I suspect that there was a tolerance issue. Once the wheels started to show signs of wear I slung them out and put Mavics on.

    D :D
  • disgruntledgoatdisgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    Diogenes wrote:
    I had the same problem on a new set of Gipiemme wheels with a campag hub,the LBS reported that a pawl was sticking, just needed a drop of grease. However for months afterward I had recurring niggles until the hub packed up altogether. I suspect that there was a tolerance issue. Once the wheels started to show signs of wear I slung them out and put Mavics on.

    D :D

    Polaris have just told me do just that... Run oil into the freewheel from the back of it whilst spinning the wheel. Will investigate when I get home.

    As an aside, does anybody know waht size bearings I need to replace the two that my garage floor has claimed? They were, helpfully, of differing sizes with the non-drive side being smaller... Thanks in advance.
    "In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

    @gietvangent
  • deswellerdesweller Posts: 5,175
    disgruntledgoat wrote:
    As an aside, does anybody know waht size bearings I need to replace the two that my garage floor has claimed? They were, helpfully, of differing sizes with the non-drive side being smaller... Thanks in advance.

    Due to slight variations in size from batch to batch, it's recommended that you do not mix balls from different batches (as the races will sit on the larger balls and not contact the smaller ones, raising point stresses). So I'd recommend replacing the whole lot, in which case you'll be able to measure them when you remove them.
    - - - - - - - - - -
    On Strava.{/url}
  • LeighBLeighB Posts: 326
    I think the back wheel of a standard bike should have nine quarter inch bearings. Remember when you tighten up the cones to leave a little play then when you tighten up the quick release skewer you will not overload the bearings and the play will go; it may take a couple of goes to get it perfect.
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/21286698@N06/
  • disgruntledgoatdisgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    This one has smaller bearings in the drive side, I've ordered replacement sets in the two sizes suggested to me after Polaris and Pro Lite failed to tell me which they were.

    I thought i'd fettled it into a serviceable wheel with a mild freehub problem again last night but 5 minutes on the turbo and it was wobbling all over the place. Polaris advised that the freehub problem is caused by a stuck pawl (the wheels have been in their stock for 2 years so he reckons the grease in the hub has solidified) and that I should throw oil all over it.

    However... The Pro LIte manual covers removal of all the freehubs except the one i've got. There's no 10mm bolt in there to remove it adn I can't see how I am supposed to remove teh sodding thing to get at said pawl. Now this and the fact that when I take the play out, it comes back after 5 minutes have made me bloody cross at spending £85 on a set of wheels that aren't even right straight out of the box. I'm sure that the fact i've tinkered with them will remove the inclination to refund me too!

    I shall be depositing them at the LBS when i go on holiday on sunday and, hopefully, they'll be in some sort of shape when I return
    "In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

    @gietvangent
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